The Art of Kerry Newell

Sunday, 9 October 2011

Welcome everyone to my latest newsletter,hopefully they'll be something of interest here for you :-)NEW ORIGINAL NOW AVAILABLE:

'MERCY' Jaguar (Panthera onca)16"x16"Pastel on VelourLimited Edition Prints now available

For more information regarding the original please contact me directly via:Email: kerrybull1@hotmail.com or Tel: 07752325031

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE:

Whether it's an 'all-day workshop' or a 'work at your own pace in your own home' experience you're after your sure to find something to suit your needs here,if not give me a call and together we'll see what we can do ;-)

* Wildlife Workshops located at The Kings Centre *inWigston, Leicestershire

Come and relax in comfortable surroundings, make new friends and learn to use'pastel on velour' the easy way.My workshops cater for all artistic abilities, even if you feel you have none you'll be pleasantly surprised by what can be achieved in just one day, whether you are a complete beginner just starting out or you're already using pastels but would like advise & encouragement in taking your art one step further then these are the workshops for you.

All workshop materials are included in the price and you get to take them home at the end of the day, please feel free to bring along any pastels/pastel pencils you may already have and I'll be more than happy to advise you on how to achieve the optimum results with these also.

Additional materials including velour, soft pastels and pastel pencils will be available for purchase on the day if you want that little something extra to take away.

All workshops have limited places so please book early to avoid disappointment!

For more information, including testimonials, on these workshopsand for booking / availability please see the 'Workshop' page of my website. Please note that my Winter 2011 Workshop is now fully bookedsorry to those of you who missed out on a placeHowever there are four places left at the moment on my Spring 2012 Workshop due to run on Saturday 25th February 2012 and several places left on the rest of next years workshops too:

For booking / availability please see the 'Workshop' page of my website.

* Wildlife Workshops located at Twycross Zoo * inWarwickshire

I have pleasure in announcing the commencement of my'Wildlife Workshops at Twycross Zoo'

Beginning on Sunday 13th November 20119am - 5pm

Conveniently located just 5 minutes from J11 of the M42, Twycross Zoo is easy to reach, with excellent transport links and fantastic hotel partners, not to mention 1,000 animals from 200 different species. Workshops will be ran from 'Windows on the Wild' - a stunning function room overlooking the beautiful surroundings of a wading bird aviary and boasting its own private entrance through the ' fisherman's shack'.

Again these workshops are suitable for all artistic capabilities from beginners to the more advanced, you'll be pleasantly surprised at just how much can be achieved in one day!

And again additional materials including velour, soft pastels and pastel pencils will be available for purchase on the day if you want that little something extra to take away.

Each workshop costs £120 per personThis price includes all materials & tuition, a wholesome lunch & free flowing tea & coffee throughout the day* plus entrance to the zoo throughout the day and a 'keeper talk' *

You'll also have the satisfaction in knowing that you're helping the East Midland Zoological Society, a registered charity, to continue its valuable work on conservation projects, both in the UK and around the world.

Would you like home comforts plus the chance for complete one to one encouraging & inspiring tuition? Would you like to know how to achieve results in one day on a wildlife subject of your choosing? Or maybe you'd like to create a portrait of your beloved pet but don't know quite where to start?If the answer's yes to any of the above then these private tuition days are for you.

Each day is completely tailor made to meet the individuals needs and as with my workshops all materials are provided, but I do encourage you to bring along any materials you may already have so that we can find optimum usage for these too for when you return home. And again additional materials including velour, soft pastels and pastel pencils will be available for purchase on the day if you want that little somethingextra to take away.

Price - A full day's tuition costs £125 this includesall materials, tuition, lunch and free flowing refreshments throughout the day (special dietary requirements can be catered for if booked in advance)

Time -10am - 6pm(other times can be arranged to suit individual needs)

Participants taking part in a full day's tuition will have the opportunity to purchase any of my limited edition prints with a 10% discount on the day.

For more information on these days or to check date availability etcplease contact me directly via:Email: kerrybull1@hotmail.com or Tel: 07752325031

(images & testimonials of satisfied participants coming soon)

* NEW - coming soon - Mini Workshop in a Bag *

Whether its something for yourself or maybe a gift for a friend, if it's a mini workshop your after that you can work through at your own pace in your own homethen this is definitely for you! ;-)Soon to be made available for easy online purchase through my website these'Workshops in a Bag' will be packed with all that you need to produce a stunning work of art of your own. From paper to pastels to pencils and blenders it will all be there complete with an easy to follow instruction booklet containing amongst other things helpful hints and tips to help you achieve a more than satisfactory finish.

(Images and purchase details coming soon, prices to be confirmed)

Dates for you Diary:

* Bushloe Art Society Autumn Exhibition & Sale *

Bushloe Art Society, of which I'm the resident professional, are holding theirAutumn Exhibition and Sale by kind permission of the'Midlands Co-operative Society' at their Bell Street store in Wigston Leicester from

Saturday 22nd October to Saturday 2nd November 2011

A donation from the sales will go to the Co-operative Society's designated Charity.This year being the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

As soon as the Bushloe Art Society Exhibition closes my work will then be moved back over to the Gallery at Twycross Zoo. The zoo's gallery is located in 'Himalaya', which is free to enter and also contains a restaurant serving teas, coffees and a range of great value meals with brilliant views over the Snow Leopard enclosure.

Thursday, 21 April 2011

Well I don't know about you but this year seems to be just whizzing by so quickly. Can't quite believe that we're almost in May!Okay here goes with a real quick update at just what's been happening since my last post, and those of you that know me will know that the following will be in no particular order (just like the contents of my mind ;-)

Okay for starters - my latest original is now available:'GLORY' - an African Cheetah

Limited edition prints of 'GLORY' should be available within the next two weeks.

During 'studio time' I'm as busy as ever, sketching out a jaguar close up at the moment, with a small snow leopard pastel waiting in the wings and two oil paintings in very early stages, plus adding to the 'rough copy' of the book I'm working on (so watch this space! ;-)

Latest originals to sell are 'SPLENDOUR' and 'AMUR LEOPARD' both going off to new loving homes - I hope that they bring many hours of pleasure to their new owners as they did for me whilst creating them.

During March I was invited over to Geneva, Switzerland by the art materials manufacturers Caran D'Ache. I had a wonderful time viewing the development processes of new products and getting to work alongside the head chemist in his laboratory for a day testing and sampling a new range of products that will be launched towards the end of this year! Exciting times ahead! It looks as though I'll be demonstrating for them during the summer next year! :-)www.carandache.com

28th/29th May of this year will see the official opening of the Twycross Zoo Gallery! My workshops etc should be starting there soon after - I'm meeting with the gallery manager next Thursday to finalize details .............. more information on this coming soon ;-)www.twycrosszoo.org

In June I'll be demonstrating at Patchings Art Festival again! And for anyone who loves arts and crafts this is an event not to be missed!!!www.patchingsartcentre.co.uk

In August I'll be exhibiting at The Rutland Birdfair!There really is something for everyone at this internationally renowned event! From art to photography to lectures by leading conservationists (Simon King OBE, Chris Packham, Nick Baker to name but a few) to great food and all things ornithological and more!!!www.birdfair.org.uk

Okay last but definitely not least:

A quick reminder to say that my Summer Workshop (Sat 14th May) is now fully booked, sorry to those of you who missed out on a place this time. However there are four places left at the moment on the Autumn Workshop (Sat 13th Aug).

Monday, 21 February 2011

Oops well bang goes my promise to update my blog on a monthly basis! lol Sorry about that, please bare with me and I'll try to make up for my slip-up in omitting January from this years blog calender ;-) Anyway better late than never eh, and what couldn't be better than two for the price of one so here goes for a January/February update(items in no particular order as usual ;-)

Okay for starters its the newly completed 'SPLENDOUR' - a male Barbary Lion

This original is now available along with limited edition prints.

It is with much delight and excitement that I am able to write and share with you all the good news that I was, during the latter part of 2010, approached to work in partnership with, and in some areas exclusively for, Twycross Zoo (Warwickshire, UK)On the evening of Thursday 27th January I attended the 'Twycross Gallery Preview Evening' where some of my work amongst that of other local artists was being displayed along with the plans for the new Twycross Gallery. The evening was a 'roaring' success (pardon the pun) as my Amur Tiger painting entitled 'MAJESTY' sold along with a framed limited edition print of'SOUL SURVIVOR'.

More news about this evening can be found on the Twycross Zoo site:

http://www.twycrosszoo.org/news/currentnews.htm

3rd February 2011

Twycross Gallery Preview

"Twycross Zoo – East Midland Zoological Society is opening a ground-breaking new contemporary art gallery this summer and is celebrating a highly-successful preview evening at which several major works were sold. The preview showcased a cross-section of the high-quality art and two of Wigston (Leicestershire) artist Kerry Newell’s ultra-detailed pastel on velour works, both an original and a limited edition print, were snapped up for almost £3,000 ............."

'MAJESTY' - Original Sold

Working in partnership with the zoo and the inhabitants that reside there is like a dream come true, many exciting plans have been talked about and the first to be put in to place is the opportunity for me to begin running workshops there, a meeting to discuss this strategy in more detail will be taking place next week, I've a hundred or more ideas I guess they just don't know what they're letting themselves in for! lol :-) More news on this adventure soon :-D

Following the success of the Twycross Gallery Preview evening I was interviewed by a journalist from a local newspaper, The Leicester Mercury, and as a result made the front page and page nine of the following Monday's issue:

Okay, nearly finished you'll be pleased to hear! lol Just a quickie to say that this year's 'Spring' workshop (Saturday 26th February) is fully booked - sorry to those of you who missed out on a place this time, but I hope you'll be pleased to know that there are a few remaining places left on this year's 'Summer' workshop on Saturday 14th May.

Wednesday, 22 December 2010

Hi there I hope this message finds you all well and looking forward to the festive season.

I'm sure that those of you who know me will know that I enjoy the varied aspects of my work - creating work for exhibitions, painting domestic and non-domestic animals for commissions, whilst also running workshops and demonstrating to schools/colleges and art groups etc. Well my work/career has now taken another turn in the most exciting and at the same time knee trembling way - I have recently been invited, by Chris Packham (tv presenter, photographer & author) and his partner, to visit a big cat sanctuary on the Isle of Wight where I'll be able to get ‘behind the scenes’ enabling me to photograph these majestic felines ’up close & personal’. And just when I thought things couldn't get any better this came along - I have also been approached to publish a book fronted by the famous television presenter and cameraman Simon King OBE, where I will be showcasing a whole new collection of ‘big cat’ paintings whilst raising funds and awareness to the plight of these majestic mammals of which I am so very fond. So my life has just shifted into the fast-lane, and the New Year will, God willing, see me buckling down and getting some work done for a change! lol Only kidding, but it does feel like a helpful shove in the right direction - straight towards the studio with a plentiful supply of coffee at the ready! lol

Although we're still in December and all conscious thoughts are of Christmas my subconscious is already well into the New Year, deciding on subjects and techniques for the 2011 demonstrations and workshops that will soon be upon me. For those of you interested in booking a place on the Spring 2011 Workshop (Sat 26th Feb) there are only two places left, I may add more dates to my penciled-in diary for 2012 so that eight workshops run each year to keep up with the ever-increasing demand but even I don't want to think about that until the New Year! lol :-)

Okay I'll leave it at that for now but may I take this opportunity in wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Peaceful New Year! :-)

Tuesday, 2 November 2010

As of yesterday 01.11.10 I am pleased to announce that I have been appointed the position of Resident Professional Artist of a local art group:

The Bushloe Art Societywww.bushloeartsociety.co.uk

I hope that by working together with existing members I can encourage and hopefully inspire an increase in confidence & ability, and during the coming months an increase in the amount of members attending the weekly meetings on a regular basis too. I also want to actively encourage new members into the society whatever their artistic ability and chosen medium, beginners to the more advanced, all will receive a warm welcome.

If you're interested in finding out more about this art society then please check out their above website (soon to be redesigned and updated)

Sunday, 31 October 2010

Hi there folks just a quick update on what's happening in the studio - Friday saw the completion of this little guy:

An Amur tiger, 16" x 16", pastel on velour

As yet untitled, this painting is now residing at the local framers where it is due to be scanned for the production of limited edition prints and then framed, God willing prints will be available for purchase within the next two weeks.

Working on a new commission and in the process of sketching out a new original ;-)

Friday, 22 October 2010

Oh my word has it really been over a year since I last updated my blog? If there was an image of my embarrassed face right now I'd add it to this post, but as there's not I'll brush that last comment under the carpet and move straight on to updating you all with a little of what's been happening during the last 12 months or so......

Okay here we go, my brain really is like a disorganized filing cabinet (more like a bin of information actually) so bare with me as the following things may or may not be in chronological order, okay they most probably wont be in chronological order but hey at least you've been warned! lol:

Earlier in the year I was fortunate enough to be employed as a demonstrator of Unison soft pastels and Fabre Castell pastel pencils at the prestigeous 'Patchings Art Festival' 2010:

While demonstrating at 'Patchings' I was approached by the 'Research & Development' Manager for Caran d'Ache (an art materials manufacturer in Switzerland) and asked if I would like to be involved with the trialing and development of a new pastel product? After quietly debating the pros and cons of such an offer (which must have taken between 3-5 milliseconds as I'm not one for spontaneous decisions lol) I eventually agreed :-) So samples were received, self formulated tests carried out and results emailed back to the Caran d'Ache head-quarters in Switzerland, everyone seemed happy. Now it seems they were far happier with my labours than I first imagined as I have just received an invitation to go to Geneva (all expenses paid) "within the next few months" for the launch of this new product! More news on that real soon :-)

During August I exhibited at the Rutland Birdfair! Sales were excellent and interest high (as was the humidity - it isn't called Rutland Reservoir for nothing! lol)

Sales included the only just released Sole Survivor (having only come from the framers the previous weekend):

Whilst there I received lots of 'celebrity' interest too! Having personal visits from Johnny Kingdom (I ended up wearing Johnny's hat and together we ran off hand in hand through the marquee much to the surprise and cheers of the watching public! lol),Chris Packham & Simon King:

Wow talk about 'heard it on the grapevine'!!! lol

Whilst exhibiting at events like the yearly Rutland Birdfair I do like to demonstrate my artwork and techniques too, its amazing really that I can be working away concentrating on my painting while being oblivious to the hustle and bustle of the sometimes crowded marquees and the unblinking gazes of onlookers standing behind me - weird or what! lol It's almost like having blinkers on except these blinkers cover my ears too! lol A tap on the shoulder and it's question time, and what amazes me is the variety of questions asked, anything from questions regarding my artwork & techniques to the views I have on conservation & environmental issues (the latter things of which I've never claimed to know about, well not in depth anyway).

This past year has seen the pace of my career as a wildlife artist really hotting up, with next year looking more than promising already - quarterly Wildlife Art Workshops running and bookings already being taken for my Fur & Feather Demonstrations.

I believe God has blessed me with a wonderful creative gift, one which I didn't have to earn but was given and one which I gain great pleasure in sharing with others, but apart from that He's also made it a gift of the heart, my heart which I'm sure reflects a tiny amount of the greatness of His, to be able to bring about inspiration & encouragement in others, and hopefully a glimpse of the wonderful glory of creation that surrounds us all on this tiny fragile planet we call home - its the only one we have so lets work together to make it a better place for us all xxx

Some news involving myself and Simon King OBE coming soon ........... now that should keep you all guessing for a while! lol ;-)

Oh yes and while I still have your attention I'd just like to say that I now intend to update this blog once a month if possible (and you can hold me to that if I don't! lol)